Roto dunker and processing hot tank



Oct. 31, 1961 c, GRUBE 3,006,351

ROTO DUNKER AND PROCESSING HOT TANK Filed May 6, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN TOR.

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ATfbH/VEY" Oct. 31, 1961 c. G. GRUBE ROTC BUNKER AND PROCESSING HOT TANK Filed May 6. 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M M W W a IMF. E W C W M w E F m ik \7 I mm 3 w} 2, II M M Q a 9 3, 5 4; I w Iv fir! a 4 w z i b F 1 Oct. 31, 1961 c. e. GRUBE ROTO DUNKER AND PROCESSING HOT TANK 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 6, 1959 z mz M 5. r MF i WW3 a M CEIA Oct. 31, 1 961 c. G. GRUBE 3,006,351

ROTO DUNKER AND PROCESSING HOT TANK Filed May 6, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I 97 O Q Z l j 66 Cinesucs 6-. 62065 .12 INVENTOR.

United States 3,096,351 ROTO DUNKER AND PROCESSING HOT TANK Clarence G. Gruhe, 4500 Meadow View East, Brookfield, Wis. Filed May 6, 1959, Ser. No. 811,497 1 Claim. (Cl. 134-112) This invention relates to improvements in article cleaning devices and more particularly to a novel device of the type employing cleaning solutions while imparting movement to the articles to be cleaned, and is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 734,697, filed May 12, 1958, which has become abandoned.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for suspending articles to be cleaned in a basket container submerged in a cleaning solution while imparting both a rotary and a vertical reciprocal movement to said container.

Another object of the invention is to combine heat treating means with the above.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation of the rinse tank and processing tank illustrating the method of hoisting the tray loaded basket into and out of said tanks.

MG. 2 is a perspective view of the basket, a tray for the same, and the fastening ar for retention of the trays in the basket during the operation.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through the device with the basket and some parts in elevation.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the roto-dunker.

FIG. 6 is a perspective vertical sectional view through the basket journal rotating mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the same.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation of the spring-pressed pawl and ratchet wheel.

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 1i31ii of FIG. 13.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary View showing the multiple rack arrangement.

FIG. 12 is a view in elevation of a basket with a modified form of the invention including a novel ratchet wheel.

FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional view taken through one end of the rotatable basket and tank.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numetal 19 refers to the device generally, including the outer casing formed of walls 1 1, 12, 13 and 14, provided with the insulation 15 and containing heating means 16 with a vent at 17. A rectangular sill 18 rests on the outer walls and supports the liquid tight tank 19.

An electric motor 20 operates gear reducer 21 and the crank disks 22 and 23, which in turn reciprocate the rods 24 and 25, the cranks 26 and 27, and the shafts 28 and 29 keyed to the latter. Levers 30 are fixed to shafts 28 and 29 and at their opposite ends to the plural links 31 in turn connected to the suspension frame 32. Pins 33 connect the levers 30 to the links 31, and the pivot pins 34 connect the links 31 to the suspension frame 32. The latter carries a pair of vertical end channels 35 and 36, each having an upper end enlarged portion 3-7 to facilitate receiving the end portions of a tray basket.

A tray basket has a rectangular stub axle 41 at one end thereof and a round stub axle 42 at the opposite "ice end, both journalled in a lift frame 43 provided with a central eye 44. A plurality of tracks 45 provide for the reception of two stacks of trays '46 within the basket 40, and a band 47 has a Z cleat at the lower end thereof 48 and an apertured flange 49 at the upper end to engage over the threaded stud 50. A wing nut 51 secures the band 4'7 for retention of the trays 46 and the objects to be cleaned therein during rotation and Vertical reciprocal movement of the basket 46.

At the lower end of channel 35 a bearing 55 journals the stub shaft 56 which is provided with a rectangular socket 57 to receive the stub axle 41. A ratchet gear is afiixed to the outer end of the stub shaft 56 with threaded means 58. An arm 59 is slotted at 69 where it engages with a pin 61 aflixed to the tank wall 62. The arm 59 carries a spring-pressed dog 63 and the pawl 64 which moves the ratchet gear as shown in FIG. 4 counterclockwise a short distance with each downward movement of the suspension frame 32. A pawl 65 pivoted at 66 prevents reverse movement of the ratchet gear 56a.

in use the trays 46 are filled with items such as small castings to be cleaned by the solution and movement of the mechanism. The trays are inserted into the basket 4% and the latter is lowered into position by a derrick within the suspension frame after which the motor 20 is started to commence the reciprocal and rotary movement of the basket through the heated cleaning solution. After the items have been sufiiciently treated in this manner, the movement is discontinued and the derrick is employed to lift the basket 40 from the main tank to the rinse tank 70.

FIGS. 10 to 1 3 illustrate a modified form of the invention, in which the basket has affixed at one end thereof the ratchet gear 81. A bracket 82 carries a multiple rack 83 consisting of three pawls 84, 85 and 86, held in a normal inclined position by the stops 87, 88 and 89, and the spring members 96, 91 and 92, backed by the pins 93. During downward movement of the basket 80, the pawls impinge successively against the ratchet gear 81 to rotate the basket. Bracket 94 carries a pawl 95 held in normal horizontal position by the stop 96 and the spring 97 backed by the pin 98, to prevent reverse movement of the basket during upward movement of the basket 80.

t will be understood that the device is capable of many modifications in structure and design, without departing from the spirit of the invention, within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United tates, is:

in a device of the character described, a rotatable basket, a ratchet gear afiixed to one end thereof, means for vertically reciprocating said basket in a cleaning solution, multiple spring-pressed pawl means for rotating said gear and basket during downward movement thereof, and pawl means for preventing reverse rotation of the basket during the upward movement thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 429,707 Westphal June 10, 1890 537,299 Moody Apr. 9, 1895 1,994,109 Perry Mar. 12, 1935 2,099,121 Kivley Nov. 16, 1937 2,574,149 Kahn Nov. 6, 1951 2,619,781 Buhrer Dec. 2, 1952 2,731,372 Kirsch Jan. 17, 1956 

